More Quotable Quotes From Steven Tyler’s ‘RS’ Interview

Turns out past drug use wasn’t the only topic Steven Tyler covered while being interviewed by Rolling Stone. The Aerosmith frontman also chatted about working with surviving Led Zeppelin members, getting the “American Idol” gig and that his band was ready to show him the door.

Earlier today, the Associated Press zeroed in on Tyler telling Rolling Stone that he had done drugs with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry in 2008 while working on an album that was never completed. Although tales of drug use are common anecdotes in rock ‘n’ roll interviews, Tyler’s remarks came as somewhat of a surprise if only because he’s been talking about being clean and sober for more than 20 years.

But other remarks made during the interview are equally surprising.

Regarding his new job judging wannabe stars on “American Idol,” Tyler said he joined the popular TV show so that he could send a message to his Aerosmith bandmates.

“Did I take this job to show the band,” Tyler said during the interview. “Fuck, yeah. Not to show them, but that I can’t be held hostage anymore. I will be my own hostage. The band can’t throw me out.”

“I decided, ‘Well, I know that I’m mad at those [Aerosmith] guys, but I’m not that mad,’” Tyler said. “So I called Jimmy up after I left, two weeks later, and said, ‘You’re in a classic band, and so is mine, and I just can’t do that to my guys, and I can’t do it to Robert [Plant],’ and I couldn’t see finding a year to really put myself into it. So for whatever the band thought, never in a million years was I going to quit Aerosmith to start Zeppelin.”